Posted: Sol 184 / Year 2040 (Calendar)
Martian Scientific Authority – Alpha Base, Mars
Today marks a turning point in the Alpha 1 mission. Just one sol after humanity’s first successful landing on the surface of Mars, science operations have officially begun.
At 08:42 CET (Earth time), three members of the Alpha 1 crew — Maria Dicello, Dr Nikolay Baturin, and Dr Kobayashi — stepped outside Alpha Base for the first major surface excursion of the mission. Over a span of seven hours, the team deployed a suite of carefully designed scientific instruments, marking the beginning of what will become one of the most comprehensive long-term studies of the Martian surface ever undertaken.
👩🚀 The EVA Team
- Maria Dicello (Italy): Mission Specialist, Habitat Systems & Engineering
- Dr Nikolay Baturin (Russia): Lead Planetary Geologist
- Dr Kobayashi (Japan): Atmospheric & Climate Researcher
All three astronauts had previously conducted extensive EVA simulation training in desert environments and underwater habitats on Earth. This was their first operational walk on the Martian surface.
Commander Pierre Girard remained inside the Hab to oversee communications, logistics, and telemetry coordination, while Jianyu Chu and David Martel supported instrument calibration and rover prep from inside Alpha 1.
📡 Mission Objectives
The primary goals of this surface sortie were to deploy passive and active scientific instruments in a controlled area near Alpha Base, initiate environmental baselining, and begin long-term monitoring. Instruments included:
1. Seismic and Impact Detection Grid
A series of small, disk-shaped sensors were placed in a 30-metre grid radiating from the base. These instruments will detect:
- Meteoroid impacts
- Marsquakes (seismic activity)
- Surface vibrations (useful for future construction stability analysis)
These detectors are passive, powered by solar film and activated remotely.
2. Low-Power Radio Transmitter Array
This set of short-range antennas will test signal strength across the Martian terrain and allow for:
- Autonomous rover coordination
- Redundant communication relays
- Preliminary signal mapping for future expansions
The array is designed to work through dust storms, with shielded signal processing units mounted on carbon-fibre stakes.
3. Miniature Environmental Experiments (MEEs)
Designed by international student teams, these small devices include:
- Soil hydration probes (to detect transient frost and subsurface moisture)
- UV degradation samples (materials testing under Martian sunlight)
- Bio-presence monitors, which will test for bacterial transfer from EVA suits and equipment
Each MEE has been assigned a unique ID and will be monitored remotely and physically inspected in later excursions.
📸 What It Looked Like
Images from EVA helmet cams and external Hab cameras captured scenes of breathtaking clarity: astronauts silhouetted against the ochre horizon, long shadows cast across the dust, delicate instruments planted with meticulous care into ancient soil.
At one point, Dr Baturin paused to inspect a surface fracture in a nearby ridge — the first unofficial geological sample site of the mission.
🌡️ Conditions and Crew Notes
- Temperature range: −21°C to −35°C (surface variation over the EVA window)
- Wind: Light breeze, dust movement observed but not disruptive
- Crew status: Healthy, hydrated, no anomalies reported
Dr Kobayashi noted unexpected fine layering in local sediment drift, which will be logged and targeted for analysis in a follow-up excursion.
Maria Dicello reported strong suit performance and excellent communication clarity throughout the walk. Minor static was observed near the transmitter deployment site, which may be related to local dust conditions.
🧾 Crew Reflections
“Laying the first sensor on Martian soil felt more like planting a promise than a device. We’re listening to the planet now. And we’re ready to learn.”
— Dr Nikolay Baturin
“The silence is absolute out there. It makes every motion feel deliberate, like you’re writing your name on something that will outlast you.”
— Maria Dicello
“I’ve studied this atmosphere for years. Today I touched it — or at least felt its breath on my visor. It’s thin, but it’s real. And it holds secrets we’re only just beginning to ask about.”
— Dr Kobayashi
🔭 What’s Next?
Data from the deployed instruments is already being transmitted back to the Hab and relayed to Earth via the Mars Relay Satellite Constellation. Preliminary readings will be processed overnight, and detailed analysis will begin tomorrow.
Additional EVAs are scheduled in the coming sols, including rover assembly, geological sampling, and the deployment of external thermal radiators.
Stay tuned for live updates, photographs, and audio clips from Alpha Base. The science of Mars has begun — and this is just the first step.
🪐
— Martian Scientific Authority